Personal development, like any other sustained objective we are trying to reach, requires some discipline and guidelines, otherwise our efforts will be ineffective and counter-productive; especially if we fall into certain habits and practices.

(1) Too much theory, not enough action
Because self-improvement is such an interesting subject we can easily become over-absorbed in the research and study of various materials, to the point where we are not putting into practice what we are learning. The action steps are as important, and perhaps more so, than the theory.

(2) Scattering our efforts
Instead of picking a self-improvement program and sticking with it, we try to incorporate too many different ideas or concepts into our program, with the result that our action steps lack focus, leading to frustration with our goal-directed activities.

(3) Working in bursts
We have all probably “crammed” at night to pass a test, but if we try this technique with self-actualization, the result will be disappointment. Any long-term goals require what Seth Godin calls the drip-drip-drip approach for success.

(4) Procrastinating with the hard stuff
Reading the books and expert blogs, watching instructional videos, and listening to podcasts are all helpful, as are all the appropriate action steps. But often with personal growth, the hardest part can be the internal work we need to do to achieve attitudinal change. And that’s the part we often put off doing, because it’s probably the toughest part of personal development.